Veronica plant named ‘Atomic Red Ray’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Atomic Red Ray’, particularly distinguished by purple-violet colored flowers, floriferous with healthy foliage, good mildew resistance, and well-branched, compact growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Veronica hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Atomic Red Ray’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronicaplant botanically known as Veronica hybrida and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Atomic Red Ray’. The new cultivar originated froman open pollination in 2005 in a nursery location in Haarlem, TheNetherlands between unknown male and female Veronica hybrida plants. Theobjective of the breeding program was the development of Veronicacultivars with improved branching, unique flower coloration, and compacthabits.

The new cultivar was selected from the results of the open pollinationin 2007 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Asexual reproduction of the newVeronica by vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Haarlem,The Netherlands since the summer of 2007, has shown that the uniquefeatures of the Veronica are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Haarlem, The Netherlands:

-   -   1. Purple-violet colored flowers;    -   2. Floriferous with healthy foliage;    -   3. Good mildew resistance; and    -   4. Well-branched, compact growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Veronica cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Atomic Violet’, U.S. Plant Pat.No. 21,780. However, in side by side comparisons in Haarlem, TheNetherlands, plants of the new cultivar ‘Atomic Red Ray’ differ fromplants of ‘Atomic Violet’ in at least flower color. Plants of ‘AtomicRed Ray’ have a flower color that is darker than plants of ‘AtomicViolet’.

In addition the new cultivar can be compared to the commerciallyavailable cultivar ‘Purpleicious’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,639. However,in comparison, plants of the new cultivar ‘Atomic Red Ray’ differ fromplants of ‘Purpleicious’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color that is darker        than plants of ‘Purpleicious’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are less branched than plants of        ‘Purpleicious’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Atomic Red Ray’.The plant was field grown for approximately 2 years in Haarlem, TheNetherlands in an outdoor nursery location. The plant was transplantedinto a container for photography purposes.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Atomic Red Ray’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of‘Atomic Red Ray’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Atomic Red Ray’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The data which define these characteristics were collectedfrom asexual reproductions carried out in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Theplant history was taken in October 2011 on 2-year-old field grown plantswhich were planted and grown outdoors in daytime temperatures between14° C. and 28° C. and nighttime temperatures between 5° C. and 18° C. Nopinching, growth retardants or photoperiodic treatments were used.Observations were made when the plants were in natural daylightconditions.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica hybrida cultivar ‘Atomic Red    Ray’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida.        -   Male parent.—Unknown Veronica hybrida.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cutting.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 30 days with            average soil temperature of 14° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; grey in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate density, poorly branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial. Overall shape: Oblong. High            temperature tolerance: Tolerant to at least 35° C. Low            temperature tolerance: Hardy to at least USDA Zone 4.            Excellent garden performance.        -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 4 months from rooted            cutting to a finish flowering plant.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Upright, moderately            vigorous.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 45.2 cm. Width: Approximately 31.3 cm. Rate of            growth: In spring, approximately 10 cm per month.        -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching. Pinching not            required, but will improve basal branching. Quantity of            branches per plant: Approximately 6.        -   Branches.—Shape: Rounded. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect.            Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 28.4 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture: Slightly glossy, densely            pubescent with short greenish-white hairs. Length of            pubescence: Approximately 0.3 mm. Color of young and mature            stems: 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per stem:            Approximately 22. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.            Durability to stress: High.        -   Leaves.—Shape: Narrowly ovate to lanceolate. Margin: Serrate            with approximately 4 teeth per cm. Apex: Acute. Base:            Truncate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 7.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            2.9 cm. Texture of upper surface: Slightly glossy,            moderately pubescent with short greenish-white hairs.            Texture of lower surface: Slightly glossy, moderately            pubescent with short greenish-white hairs. Length of            pubescence upper and lower surfaces: Approximately 0.3 mm.            Color of upper surface of young foliage: 143B to 143C and            venation of 144C to 144D. Color of lower surface of young            foliage: 143C to 144B with venation of 144D. Color of upper            surface of mature foliage: 137B and venation of 144C to            144D. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: 138B with            147B to 147C and venation of 144D.        -   Petiole.—Shape: V-shaped. Length: Approximately 8.0 mm.            Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Height: Approximately 2.5 mm.            Color: 147D.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing            conditions with substantially continuous blooming from July            through mid-October in The Netherlands.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            7 days.        -   Flowering response time.—Approximately 60 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal raceme, self-cleaning.            Fragrance: Faint. Height: Approximately 13.3 cm. Width:            Approximately 2.5 cm. Quantity of opened flowers per            inflorescence: Approximately 300 for main and 100 for            secondary. Rate of flower opening: Approximately 20% of the            flowers open at any stage.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Main inflorescences            erect and secondary inflorescences at approximately 25°            angle from vertical. Length: Approximately 24.2 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 2.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Single. Shape: Campanulate.            Aspect: Outward.        -   Bud just before opening.—Quantity per inflorescence:            Approximately 250. Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately            6.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Color: 72B. Rate of            opening: Approximately 20% of buds open at once, all open            within approximately 8 weeks.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Campanulate. Height: Approximately 9.0 mm.            Diameter: Approximately 8.0 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 4. Arrangement: Approximately lower 45% of            each petal fused into a narrow tube. Appearance: Dull.            Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse. Length:            Approximately 8.5 mm. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm with lower            petals approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color of upper surface when            first open: N81A to N81B. Color of lower surface when first            open: N81A to N81B. Color of upper surface when fully open:            N81A fading to 83B. Color of lower surface when fully open:            N81B.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Rotate. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm.            Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: 4. Appearance: Dull. Shape: Ovate. Margin:            Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate, lower 10% fused. Length:            Upper sepals approximately 2.0 mm with lower sepals of            approximately 3.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture            of upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color of upper and            lower surfaces of immature sepals: 143A to 143B. Color of            upper and lower surfaces of mature sepals: 143A to 143B.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Approximately 50° angle            from vertical. Length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Diameter:            Approximately 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            147B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per            flower, dorsifixed. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther length:            Approximately 1.5 mm. Filament length: Approximately 5.0 mm.            Anther color: 64B. Filament color: 77B. Pollen amount:            Sparse. Pollen color: 4D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per            flower. Pistil length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Stigma shape:            Clavate. Stigma color: N77D. Style length: Approximately            8.5 mm. Style color: 77A. Ovary color: 145B.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Good mildew and rust resistance. No    particular resistance or susceptibility to other diseases or insects    noted to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plantnamed ‘Atomic Red Ray’, substantially as herein shown and described.